Reclaiming the Veil
by Andromeda8V
Summary: An exiled Queen, isolated and trained to be a warrior – unaware of her regal birthright. She must return to her kingdom and use her magic to secure its safety. Will the interim Prince help her or will dark powers destroy them all? Fantasy/Romance/SciFi, OOC, Lemons, Violence, Cannon Couples eventually
1. Preface

**Reclaiming the Veil**

**Summary: **An exiled Queen, isolated and trained to be a warrior – unaware of her regal birthright. She must return to her kingdom and use her magic to guard its safety. Will the interim Prince seduce her to secure his crown before dark powers destroy the realm he loves?

**Disclaimer: **Everything Twilight belongs to the wonderful Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I just like to play with her chess pieces.

**Rated: **M for themes and some juicy lemons eventually.

Thanks to **Andrew'sAmy **she is my Beta Superhero!

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**Preface**

**EPOV**

I couldn't sit still so I got up and paced in front of my father's desk. We were in his personal office as he had never liked the formality of the more official royal library.

"Edward, you know Lord Aro questions my right to rule. He is amassing an army. Alice has seen the decision."

"What do you expect me to do? We have searched for her on both sides of the Veil. There has not been a trace of her or her nurse Renee. For all we know she died years ago or has traveled so far away, that it would be next to impossible to find her. She is not the solution. We must prepare for war."

"Don't underestimate her powers. I would willingly bow to her. She will be our rightful Queen," he asserted. "However, you are correct. It seems we are almost out of time. As soon as she turns eighteen, she must be back on this side of the Veil in her rightful place on the throne. I don't want to consider the consequences if she is captured."

He was meant to be king. The whole kingdom was thriving under his leadership and all he could think about was relinquishing it to someone just because of her lineage. "How can you give it up so easily? All these years you have led the people valiantly, even at the darkest of times when the entire royal family was destroyed. Without your leadership the kingdom of Twilight would have fallen to the Volturi brothers and the Veil would have been destroyed. She may be dead for all we know. You are now the rightful King. I will follow in your example when it is time for me to take the throne. We don't need a child, even if she is of the Highest-Power, to protect Twilight."

"She cannot be dead. The implications would be disastrous." He all but yelled. Then in a hard tone he pronounced, "I have made my decision. It is an order. You will search for her, even if it is throughout the entire globe, and you will return her to her rightful position on the throne."

"What about everything you and I have worked for, to protect the people? Were all of our sacrifices for naught?"

"Edward, I never wanted to be King and will happily return the crown to its rightful owner. If I did not, I would be no different than the traitors we have been fighting against for the last century."

I took a breath ready to interrupt, to remind him he was crowned king based on the wishes of the previous ruler, but he raised his hand to still my tongue.

"I know you have prepared yourself to lead the people, you genuinely care about the kingdom. Your plans do not have to change. Court her. I hope she accepts your troth. You have as much chance of winning her hand as anyone else. Maybe more so based on your talents. If you find her quickly, you will have more time with her than anyone else before she returns to court. Take the Lady Rosalie Hale with you and a handful of others if you wish. They can help you find her."

He got a far off look on his face that crumpled into a grimace of pain. It was the same look he got whenever he thought of the late King and Queen. They had been close friends his entire life which probably added to his sense of duty when it came to their last remaining heir. It is also what made him ruthlessly attack critics and enemies of the royal family. He may be a temporary king but he protected the throne fervently.

I was furious at the thought of relinquishing the throne to a child who had lived outside of the Veil for most of her life. Who was to say she was not already captured by Lord James Aro? Was she to be nothing more than a pawn in the destruction of the realm? What's worse, I could not imagine going out there again, outside of the Veil, to search for a needle in a haystack. Probably a grotesque looking troll of a female I would tie myself to for the rest of my life in order to ensure the safety and security of the kingdom I had sworn myself to protect. I was incensed that my father actually believed some little girl could alter the outcome of a war to be fought by armies of men.

I turned my back on my father and stormed out of the room. Striding angrily through the deep black marble corridors. My fury had not subsided by the time I reached the doors leaving the keep.

I needed to blow off some steam. I considered seeking out a fencing partner but when I thought of that conversation and considered my options, having to either lose my title as Prince Protector of the realm or having to marry the hideous lost Queen, I knew exactly how I planned to alleviate my stress.

"Get me Vanquish, immediately" I barked at the unfortunate servant that had crossed my path. I was going to go visit Irina and fuck her until I was too tired to think about a "Queen" wandering on the other side of the Veil.

**~ 8V ~**

Another in the long list of reasons I hated the human realm was that time worked differently in Twilight than on the human side of the Veil. A few months spent searching for her here would be years at home. Crossing the Veil was for this and other reasons, tricky. It was best left to people like me - of High-Power. This is why I asked Alice, Jasper and Emmett to go with me in search of Her Majesty. They were my most trusted lords of the High-Power. Of course I also took Rosalie as my father had directed.

It was warm and humid, the middle of summer. The grass was so tall it was hard to walk through. Jasper halted in front of me when he noticed Alice's eyes glaze over. "Alice…" he tensed and grasped her arms keeping her upright until the vision passed. He was always protective like that although he needn't worry; Alice was as strong and talented as he was. We had just crossed the Veil a few hours ago to the border town of Forks when Alice's glassy eyes cleared and she had a huge grin on her face.

Since I could read minds I had of course witnessed her vision.

_Long, thick mahogany hair spilling down the back of a female walking along the edge of a lush forest. Her hands were spread out, as if she were being careful of her balance or feeling for something. To the left there was a meadow with a few spring wildflowers starting to bloom. When her fingers brush the edge of the Veil the image shifted to Rosalie, whose eyes widened in shock as she whispered "She is here." _

Alice was happy about the vision, "I guess we wont have to travel around the globe to find her after all" she chirped enthusiastically.

"What did you see?" Asked Jasper and Emmett at once.

I answered for Alice in a significantly less excited tone, "It appears the little Queen" I spat the last word, "will be coming to us. No later than early spring by the looks of the vision. I suppose it is convenient that Lord Jenks has produced contingency personas for us in the event we needed to stay in one location for a period of time." I said. "We will be staying in the city of Forks and attending their educational institution called a 'high school'. I will provide written briefings to each of you once we secure the residence that he procured for the duration of our stay. Let us be off, we should not spend so much time in the open so close to the Veil"

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**Chapter End Notes:**

So what do you think?

This is my first Fanfiction ever - Im looking forward to hearing your thoughts!


	2. Chapter 1 - Sloppy and Slow

**Disclaimer: **Everything Twilight belongs to the wonderful Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I just like to surf on her waves.

Thanks to **Andrew'sAmy **she is the cream in my coffee!

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Sloppy and Slow**

**BPOV**

I moved toward him, my eyes taking in all of his most vulnerable points. I would probably start with the throat and if necessary I would go for his eyes, face, fingers, feet and even his groin. I knew this was going to be controversial but they wanted me to show them my way. I was trained to respond to possible violent attacks. If I were confronted in the street, the person attacking wouldn't follow some sportsman's code of chivalry. They would aim to hurt, maim, or possibly kill me. Why should I give them the courtesy of not punching below the belt? You can't worry about fighting etiquette when your life is at stake.

My assessment of his weak spots and pre-emptive attack had his hulking figure writhing on the ground in just over a minute. _That took a while_, I thought, watching his movements. It looked like he was deciding if it was worth another attempt or if he should just turn in his "man-card" now.

"You were sloppy and slow, Isabella."

I turned to face Colonel Charles Swanson, who in my head I called Charlie. He was standing a few feet behind the twenty or so military men surrounding my demonstration. Their faces echoed their disbelief that this was "slow." To them I was a wisp of a seventeen-year-old girl who had just laid out their best fighter. I didn't respond. I had thought the same thing just moments before Charlie had commented. I needed to focus but there were many things keeping me from top form.

"As you can see, size and muscle mass are not everything in a fight. Neither is speed. You need to maximize on what you have available to you. Attack vulnerable points as quickly as possible and always maintain an awareness of your surroundings." Charlie enunciated for the grudgingly impressed men.

"She didn't exactly fight fair though, did she, Sir?" The hulk I had knocked over pointed out once he got himself off the ground. He winced down to his still throbbing groin.

"And I suppose an insurgent in the streets of Baghdad would be thinking about fairness, right?" Charlie responded incisively with an annoyed twitch to his bushy mustache and a raised eyebrow. No one else would have noticed the nuances of his expression but I knew him well.

"What else have you trained her to do, Sir?" The commanding officer of the unit inquired of Charlie. He had a glint in his eye that made me think for a moment that he was flirting with me. This thought heated my cheeks, the only hint of emotion my face gave away. Quickly I discounted the idea for several reasons. First, he was a commanding officer for one of the most elite military units in the country and flirting would be highly unprofessional. Second, he just saw me lay out his best fighter, which couldn't have made me look very attractive to such a masculine man. And last, I was just not the kind of girl someone flirted with. I was much too plain. That had to be why I had never even been asked out on a single date. These thoughts were part of the jumble in my head, keeping me from performing to the best of my ability. I knew I would pay for them later when Charlie and I got home.

I ignored the rest of the conversation. If Charlie wanted me to exhibit any more skills or show them the right way to fire a weapon I would but I would not be volunteering for anything.

We moved on inside of the training facility. I did end up showing my marksmanship skills in the 100-meter and 300-meter ranges where I laid down to shoot prone, as well as shot a large caliber rifle kneeling without any support for my hands. I thought the men were going to need a putty knife to scrape their eyebrows back down.

It was a twenty-minute drive from the base to our house, made longer by the traffic caused by the construction crews around town. I was lost in thought the whole way home. Worrying about my future, considering my present.

I stared dejectedly out the passenger side window while Charlie drove in silence. I always had plenty of time to think since he wasn't a big talker. Who was I kidding? Maybe he didn't bother because I was not the best communicator either.

We had moved around a lot with his military career. Nine times to be exact. This current stop in Colorado Springs had already lasted four months and I had yet to make a friend. This was not abnormal for me. I couldn't name a person who I would consider a friend. I liked to blame it on the constant moving but the truth was that I was different than other kids my age. While they were playing with dolls, I was learning how to clean an M4 rifle. When other kids ran around outside playing hide and seek, I was learning how to navigate with and without a compass and surviving outdoors. Now, I ran faster than the boys in gym class and neither the boys nor the girls liked to be beaten by some unknown, short girl. You would think they'd want me on their track team but that was not the case. Kids wanted to compete with someone they thought they had a chance to beat.

I would have loved some feminine guidance growing up, but I had never known either of my parents. I only had Charlie to rely on. He provided me with the essentials that I needed over the years, so I never felt underprivileged exactly, compared to others my age. What I felt deprived of was companionship and tenderness. I would have chosen that over being popular with a dozen friends, anyway.

When I asked about my parents he told me they had passed away when I was very young but he had never gone into detail. It was one of the only times his impassable face showed emotion, so I understood he mourned their loss and had a difficult time talking about them. As hard as it was for me, I didn't push him to explain.

Starting my senior year in high school was an especially loud wake-up call for me as I considered going away to a university. Leaving Charlie sounded like a good thing. We were not especially close or warm with each other but he was all the family I knew. I still felt a spasm of panic when I thought about leaving him.

_Would that make me completely alone? Would I ever find someone to fill the aching loneliness inside of me? Plus, who would feed him? If I weren't around he would probably live on fast food and die of an early heart attack._

_Was he ever going to tell me what he was training me for?_

With this thought coming to my wandering mind, I pulled together the gumption to ask Charlie again if he intended for me to join the military. In the past he had always avoided answering this question, but after my exhibition today, what else could I expect? He drew his brows together, a storm gathering in his eyes and he snapped, "Of course not!" and promptly returned a taciturn gaze to the road.

By the time Charlie and I came home it was sunset. "You know your concentration has been lax these last few weeks, Isabella. I think you need to be reminded of your priorities." He fetched a wide metal cuff, stretching it out toward my hand. I didn't fight it, but internally my anger flared at the mention of priorities. He clasped the cuff on my arm and explained I would have thirty-five minutes to run five miles. Not anything I could not handle. I knew this meant I would need to run a mile every seven minutes and if my pace relaxed, I would be shocked by the cuff at increasing voltages until the pain became unbearable.

When I was little, I used to love these challenges. I thought I could earn Charlie's admiration by successfully completing each test. He was my guardian and I wanted his approval. Most of all, I thought if I earned his esteem I could be worthy of his affection. I immersed myself in the studies he expected me to learn. Believing always that this time, when I exceeded his expectations, he would praise me and maybe even tell me he loved me.

Now, at seventeen I knew that praise was silence and if I disappointed him I could anticipate ruthless training to correct my error. Even though he often acted so patronizingly, when I thought about it, he did show that he cared about me in his own way. For instance he was proud of my skills, which is why he took me with him to work for a little while today. He did not do this often, but I could see the proud gleam in his eye when I trounced one of his soldiers.

Besides the regular studies in school, in which I was expected to excel, I had to learn hand-to-hand combat in Charlie's preferred style, Krav Maga, military leadership, the history and tactics of warfare, diplomacy and security strategies. I often wondered whose idea it was to leave me with Charlie, who so clearly wanted a boy instead of a petite girl.

"Ouch!" I cried. I had to pick up my pace after feeling a few shocks coming through the cuff on my right wrist. I wasn't surprised. My concentration was off lately. These thoughts had been coming to me with increasing frequency and my frustration was growing. I knew I was turning eighteen soon and I wondered what I would do when I became a legal adult. We never discussed it.

Physical trials and thoughts of my future should not be distractions for me. I had learned discipline over my mind, body and emotions a long time ago. I never would have made it through puberty in one piece with Charlie if I had not mastered those parts of myself.

What had me in a constant haze lately was lack of restful sleep. Maybe tonight I would be too tired and I could finally have a peaceful nights rest.

I got back with less than a minute to spare, having avoided any major shocks by the cuff. I knew better than to expect praise. I simply held out my wrist and Charlie took the cuff without a comment.

"If that's all for today, I'd like to go to my room and finish some homework." I stated simply, my face showing no emotion.

"No, have a seat. We have something to discuss," he motioned for me to sit across from his desk in the small office he kept at home. He sat in the position of power behind his desk, which I am sure he did on purpose to remind me he had the authority in our relationship.

"It is time I told you why…" he started.

_Yes, tell me why!_ This was so in line with my recent overwhelming thoughts. It didn't even matter that I had no idea what he was about to say. If I hadn't mastered control over my face and emotions I would have been on the edge of my seat by now with ten questions spewing out, but I knew better than to interrupt.

Just as he took the next breath, preparing to articulate what he had to say to me, his phone rang. I knew he would take it. After answering, he stopped briefly and explained our conversation would have to wait and he had to leave immediately back to the base. I was dismissed. I was disappointed.

Reigning in my emotions, I took a shower, brushed my teeth, and put the finishing touches to my essay on _Antigone_ by Sophicles. I finally laid down on my no-frills, little bed and was asleep as soon as I checked that my alarm was set.

I opened my eyes and immediately knew I was dreaming.

I was constantly aware during dreams these last few weeks. It was almost like a recurring dream, except I would pick up where I had left off the last time I was asleep.

_I had been traveling and finally reached the massive intricate iron doors of a castle. The double doors were so tall; I would have guessed at least three-stories high and twenty feet across._

_How would I open them? _

_Should I knock?_

_That seemed a bit ridiculous, but I decided to come closer. I ran my hand against the surprisingly warm metal and by some instinct found a latch that caused the doors to shift and swing open as if they weighed nothing._

_I took a deep breath, and in the next moment I was past the immense walls and striding through a cavernous hall with black glistening floors and towering, amber-glowing columns. There were no torches or lighting that I could identify but the floors reflected the Titian-colored glow of the pillars. My training kicked in and I searched for escape routes, but there were no windows and the only way in or out seemed to be the way I had come. I kept my eyes sharp, searching for attackers and objects I could use to defend myself, but I saw neither a person nor a single piece of furniture in the massive hall._

_I was drawn to a room off to the left, feeling as though I knew where to go. _

_It was a small library or office. There was a distinctly masculine feel to the room. Another step inside and I noticed a tall man standing near an ornate fireplace with green and blue flames dancing in the hearth. It was the only light in the room and cast his face in shadows. When his eyes met mine he inhaled sharply and rushed to his side to grab something._

_I got a distinctly violent impression from his movement and I dove down behind the desk that divided the room. I heard a metallic ring, almost like the sharpening of a knife. Did he just draw a sword?_

_I had to move._

_As I peeked up to see where he was, I saw he was indeed holding a sword. As he bent forward and moved toward me, I yelled, "Don't!"_

_He didn't even pause. "Who are you? How are you here?" he demanded._

_He blocked my way out of the room so I didn't have anywhere to go. I responded honestly, "I belong here."_

_I looked around and saw a chair about 4 feet away. It probably wouldn't stand up to a sword but I had to use any object available to defend myself. It might give me a chance to get away from this man and his anger. I concentrated on the quick burst of energy it would take to get to the chair before he got to me with his sword. Instantaneously, the chair was right next to me, like my concentration had caused it to move._

_The chair moved so fast-it was as if it ceased to be in its original place and popped back into existence right where I wanted it to be, easily within my reach. The action must have shocked my attacker because he gasped and lunged, swinging the sword at my head. I raised the chair to divert the blow while letting out a horrified screech._

Charlie's eyes were the next things I saw. Continuing the momentum of my thoughts, I fought him landing a blow to his chest before I realized I was no longer sleeping.

"You were screaming in your sleep, Isabella," he pointed out succinctly while rubbing his chest where I had struck him. He got up and moved toward the door.

"Sorry," I panted out. I struggled to calm my emotions and my breathing. This was not the first time he had woken me from these dreams. Or perhaps I should call them nightmares. Each night I encountered some danger and awoke screaming and panting in fear.

"After school tomorrow I want you to come straight home to meet with me. We have something important to discuss," he mentioned from the door before turning and shutting it firmly.

I felt utterly cold and alone. The yearning for comfort and a shoulder to cry on was overwhelming. Not that I would allow myself to cry. I blinked my stinging eyes a few times and lay back down. I wouldn't go back to sleep. I think I would be less tired outside of my dreams even if I didn't get enough rest.

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**Chapter End Notes:**

Who is your favorite warrior or action hero?


	3. Chapter 2 - Far-Fetched

**Disclaimer: **Everything Twilight belongs to the talented Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I just like to ski on her mountain.

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Far-Fetched**

**BPOV **

"Isabella, have a seat," Charlie indicated. His usually taciturn face showed as much concern and nerves as I had ever seen in my life with him. This alone caused a spike of anxiety that I quickly tamped down.

He took a deep breath and started, "Six thousand years ago, in order to protect humans from a power that could be used to decimate entire countries, a shield was established, on the Olympic peninsula in the Pacific Northwest of the North American continent. This shield is called the Veil. It prevents anyone from using this power for personal reasons or to obtain power." Charlie looked me in the eye as he said this.

_Uh, what?_

What a weird thing to say, and it was completely unlike Charlie. Several more thoughts crossed my mind at once. Was he talking about a nuclear warhead? Did he mistakenly say six thousand years when he meant 69 years? I didn't interrupt, but I was confused by his opening comments to say the least.

"The Veil was established by a Queen of Twilight, who cast a spell using her talent of the Highest-Power. I am not privy to the particular knowledge about how the spell was cast, but I do know the Veil was created while in the realm of Eclipse, the dreamland."

Wait, I get it. He was telling me a story. He would come to the point eventually and it would probably be some lesson. I settled in to listen as he stared at me sightlessly, like he was lost in his thoughts.

"There are three known realms, Earth is known as the human realm, Twilight is the magical realm and Eclipse is the dream realm. In reality, they are separate planets and the gateway between them is controlled by a Queen.

"On our original planet, Eclipse, we were controlled by a hive-mind. The Queens controlled and directed every aspect of life and society. Their massive influence even extended beyond the planet and it's inhabitants. Eventually, they moved our species to another planet. On Twilight we no longer acted under the Queen's influence but instead became sentient beings that developed powers of our own. I don't know why we were moved.

"Around the same time there was unrest between the people of Twilight. Between those that had developed powers and those that hadn't. To encourage peace, the Queen at the time presented an idea—the powerless could move to a new planet, Earth. The unrest continued for many years before the power-less accepted the Queen's offer and she moved them to colonize the new world. The power-less insurgents were never allowed to come back, ensured by the Veil. The others, if they were powerful enough, could travel between the realms at certain points in it. However, as part of the Veil there was also a spell that prevented us from using our powers on Earth.

"One hundred years ago, a group led by High-Power Lords named Marcus and Caius Volturi stormed the palace of the kingdom of Twilight. They intended to capture Queen Siobhan and torture her until she agreed to release the Veil, allowing the powers of magic to be used across earth. They intended to rule the planet and kill whoever stood in their way. In order to apprehend the Queen they massacred the entire royal family, including King Liam and all of his relatives that possessed the ability or talent for using magic to the 'high-est' degree. Queen Siobhan and her daughter were the only Highest-Power talents remaining after the attack."

_Dramatic story_, I thought. I wonder where he'd heard it.

He continued, "Since her daughter was still a child, Queen Siobhan entrusted her to be taken away and protected by her nurse, the Queen's most trusted friend, Lady Renee Dwyer. As the nurse and Princess escaped from the palace through a rarely used door to the outside of the keep, they were attacked. Lord Alec Volguard used his talent to immobilize the nurse; I was not in time to prevent him from burying the dagger in her heart, but I did attack him before he turned his talent against me and managed to sever his head from his body to prevent him from kidnapping the Princess.

"Lady Renee managed to gasp out a few phrases to me before she died in my arms that night: 'Take the Princess to keep her safe outside of the Veil until she can use her own powers to protect herself. Help her to take back the kingdom some day, for she will be the last that can control Eclipse and maintain the Veil.' It was a miracle that I had been the one to find her. If it had been someone else, they may not have had the power to live outside of the Veil without magic. I used almost all of the power I had to hide her body and to take the child away as she asked."

My face at this moment could be used in the encyclopedia next to the definition of incredulity. He was talking about himself?

My legal guardian, the practical and pragmatic Colonel, had lost his mind. The only reason I didn't say so to his face was because I was struck mute by the absurdity of him placing himself in a fairytale.

"In Twilight, I was known as Sir Charles Swanson, the bastard cousin of the late King Liam and Chief of the Palace Guard. These last fifteen human years I have been entrusted with the care of Princess Isabella Swan of the kingdom of Twilight. If your mother is dead, as I assume, you are the last of the Highest-Power talents, and now the Queen of both Twilight and the dreamland, Eclipse."

_Maybe he was drunk?_ Unlikely; I had never seen him drink.

"Charles, this is insane! What is this all about? Why are you telling me this ridiculous fairytale? Can we please discuss colleges and what my plans will be once I finish school?" It was already November of my senior year; I needed to complete my applications and plan important things, like how I would pay for college and where I would live.

"Isabella, I can understand why this would seem odd to you."

_He had to be drunk._

"Odd!?" I exploded disdainfully.

"Watch your tone young lady. I am still your legal guardian."

"Only until September," I mumbled too quietly for him to hear.

He scowled but went on, "I understand this will be hard to accept, but you are not exactly human." He paused, letting that tidbit sink in. "For your own safety, I have not spoken of Twilight or the powers since we crossed the Veil, 15 human years ago. I have to prepare you now to return and take your rightful place on the throne. In time you will learn to accept the truth. I have much more to explain to you, to teach you, but I fear we are running out of time."

_Definitely drunk._

He looked worried again. "Your dreams, they have kept you from rest for three weeks now, is that right?" he exhaled.

What did my nightmares have to do with anything? I raised a single skeptical eyebrow at him in answer.

I wasn't sure if it was in response to my disbelief that caused him to change his approach but he was talking to me in a way we had never communicated before.

"Your magic is struggling to be released. You have grown strong. It is time for us to travel back to the border town nearest to the Veil. There, I can better prepare you for what lies ahead, but this will be a very difficult time for you. You will be in constant danger, Bella," His tone lowered to a deep warning.

He rarely called me Bella. It was as close to an endearment as we had between us. The use of the short, sweet name brought my eyes to his.

"I have asked you to learn to be vigilant, constantly aware of your safety and surroundings. It will never be as important as it will be from now on. As soon as we move to Forks, Washington, your life will be forever altered and under constant threat until we get you back into Twilight."

The next comment looked to be especially hard for him because he visibly gulped and kind of blushed before he continued. Another first.

"I need you to be prepared, you may not be attacked in the way you would expect. Any child of yours would inherit your powers and talents. The mother always passes down the talents. A clever attacker would gain your confidence, maybe even your lust and love. They would try to have a child by you because a child could be stolen and raised to later take down the Veil. You are now the only person that can control Eclipse and therefore the Veil. You are, for this reason, worth much more alive than dead."

He went to a lot of trouble for this little tale. My mind was looking for ways to poke holes in his story so I asked, "Why couldn't we just go back to this "Twilight" now?"

"Because, until you reach your maturity, your own power can be used against you. Even a Mid-Power instructor would be able to manipulate your talents. Children are unskilled and so must be controlled and taught without hurting themselves or others around them. Until you turn eighteen we must not cross into Twilight. As soon as you are of age, we will move quickly through the Veil and you will be more powerful than any other talent in the realms."

"How were these powerful royals in your story slaughtered?"

"This is no story! This is your family!" He yelled and glared at me. "Lord Alec Volguard had a sister, Lady Jane Volguard. Her talents were not documented in her identification, as required by the laws of Twilight. Had they been disclosed, your mother, Queen Siobhan, would have stripped the talent from the child or blocked it with a permanent shield constructed in the realm of Eclipse. Lady Jane matured mere days before the attack on the palace. Her talent was to cause pain. She could inflict the most excruciating agony, overtaking the mind, removing all thoughts, except for absolute torture. No one could fight back. While Jane incapacitated them, Marcus and Caius struck down your family.

"They attacked unopposed. I do not know what, if anything, was done by your mother. She was the last remaining royal. I assume she calculated some measure, given that the Veil still remains. I can sense it even though we are half way across the country here in Colorado Springs. However, I have no idea what to expect. Perhaps Twilight is now under the rule of the Volturi or is a broken kingdom. I wont leave you unprotected to go find out. We will have to see it for the first time together.

"Please be wary and cautious Bella. We may very well meet people from Twilight in this new place. They will appear to have an otherworldly grace, beauty and charisma to you on this side of the Veil. It is their magic reflecting through the shield created by the spell of the Veil. There will be no way to tell if they are simply an extraordinary human, a talent loyal to the royal family, or a traitor sympathetic to the Volturi. Forks should be treated like a war zone. Remember your training!"

_This is utter bullshit._ Haven't I trained, learned, and done everything he had ever asked me to do? I was on the cusp of becoming an adult. I had to start thinking about myself and for myself. Yet, here he was, putting my life and plans on hold. Uprooting my life, again, to following some ridiculous fairytale. All of my prescribed activities had always kept me too busy to work so I had no money of my own saved up. I didn't have a choice but to follow along. "So we're leaving?"

"I have arranged for all of our things to be sold here and we will be moving to Forks in one week. You will not be able to survive with so little sleep for much longer. I think moving will help once you get over the sickness. I don't have a choice but to establish a residence for you closer to the Veil and teach you what I can before we return to Twilight."

Whatever, I was used to moving.

Then I wondered if I should just call 911? What would I do with Charlie in an insane asylum?

He had always taught me to rely on facts to make my decisions instead of my intuition. So I ignored the feeling that he was telling me the truth and focused on the fact that he had just told me the most far-fetched story I had ever heard.

If he hadn't painted me into this story of other planets and magic it would have just been a story. It was unlike Charlie to tell tales, but I would have accepted the novelty. However, absolutely nothing I thought of could account for what he had said.

I had grown up relatively isolated, I didn't depend on others, but overall it had been a normal life. To imagine that my seclusion had been a form of protection. Well, I couldn't accept it. My mind was in absolute denial and looking for ways to explain away the last hour. Maybe he had hurt his head and couldn't remember his real past anymore.

Then my thoughts softened. He raised me, an orphan, giving me a chance at a decent life. He saw to my education and well-being. I knew if it turned out he was sick, I would do the same for him.

Without meaning to, I considered the story. Why wouldn't he have kept himself apprised of what was going on in Twilight over all of these years? It was more than enough time for a war to be over. Why didn't he go back? Making assumptions, I decided it was too risky; he might have been followed, leading them directly to me. After all, what kind of a leader sends someone off to be protected by a nurse? If I were Charlie I wouldn't trust anyone else to be capable of protecting me either.

As I caught myself with these thoughts I realized that this had been a test! He was testing my gullibility and maybe even my courage. How royally embarrassing – no pun intended. He was forever testing me in one way or another and I almost failed this one. Then I gasped. He was testing my sanity! Maybe one of my parents had been insane and he is making sure this apple had fallen far from the tree.

Fairytales, kingdoms, Kings, Queens… He actually said I wasn't human! Yea… He didn't raise a fool! I was not sure if I had figured out the right answer or reason for this story, but I'd go along with it until Charlie revealed the actual point of his lesson. I'd show him that I was perfectly sane and perceptive enough to know the difference between fantasy and reality.

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A/N: To my wonderful beta: **Andrew'sAmy**

"Volunteers are paid in six figures... S-M-I-L-E-S." ~Gayla LeMaire

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!


	4. Chapter 3 - A Sick Feeling

**Disclaimer: **Everything Twilight belongs to the talented Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I just like to hike in her forest.

**Andrew'sAmy **is a beta-star!

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**Chapter 3 – A Sick Feeling**

**BPOV**

Charlie traveled to Forks the day after our discussion. He was going to set up a residence and my transfer into the new school I would be attending. "As well as scope out possible threats," he had said before he left. I was left behind to continue attending my regular classes and start packing.

Having moved so often in the past, it didn't feel strange and I didn't even think to protest. Maybe I was in shock from all of the explanations and strange ideas that I was nowhere near believing. I did believe he was my distant uncle though. Otherwise how would I have ended up with him? Can you imagine a guy like this adopting a girl to raise on his own? I don't think so.

This would be the smallest of the cities we had ever moved to. I wondered if they had Advanced Placement classes in the high school. If not, maybe they would let me continue my current curriculum independently so I could take the exams at the end of the year for college credit. It was always better to be prepared.

What if Charlie really had a screw loose? I thought on and off throughout the days.

He needn't have bothered giving me so much time to pack. Everything I was going to be able to take with me had to fit into a few suitcases. I had a meager closet of simple clothes and shoes, all made of materials suitable for exercise, training and ease of movement. Sentiment was not something Charlie encouraged in me, so I didn't have many mementoes. I had one small album containing only a handful of pictures from each of the last fifteen years. Packing away my Mac Book could be done the night before we departed and all my favorite books and music had been loaded in electronic format to my computer years ago. Charlie said it made moving that much easier but I still had a few of my favorites in print, such as _Pride and Prejudice, Gone with the Wind_ and _Wuthering Heights_.

Having completed all the preparations necessary and heating up a square of the lasagna I had baked the night before, I sat in front of my computer and looked up the town of Forks.

It was touted to be the rainiest spot in the continental United States. I snickered to myself thinking about the irony of this fact considering a veil of rain seemed to surround the town bordering Charlie's "Veil."

I pulled up a Google Maps view of the area, trying to see if there was something that could indicate the existence of a natural border, perhaps a landmass showing this Veil Charlie spoke of, but I didn't see anything.

After our talk, Charlie handed me some kind of cherry red elixir. He said it could not be used for a long period of time. The magic in my body would become used to it making it useless but he thought I could try it for the rest of the week before he returned to escort me to Forks.

It worked all week and I finally felt somewhat rested. Tonight was the last night I would spend in Colorado Springs.

_When I opened my eyes it was the library from my last nightmare. It took me only a moment to realize my attacker was no longer in the room. My heart rate slowed from the initial shock. I looked around the room, walking over to the rows of books. They seemed old, almost ancient. I read a title of an especially large leather bound volume when it occurred to me they were not written in English but rather in a foreign script that I was somehow able to recognize. I had just pulled down the heavy tome when out of the corner of my eye I noticed a movement. When I turned I saw the largest wolf I had ever seen in my life._

_If I wasn't sure I was dreaming before, I was certain now. There was no way I would be able to fight it off, each paw was the size of my head and its eyes glowered at me from a staggering height. The russet fur was standing straight along its spine and the next movement was to bear its teeth accompanied by a reverberating snarl. Unquestionably, I was done for. Too bad I didn't have a thick juicy steak to throw at the beast. Maybe a distraction would let me get away since he was blocking the exit._

_I felt the heat and wetness in my palms before I registered the fact that the heavy book in my hand had become an enormous porterhouse steak. There was nothing to do in that moment but laugh. As my recent nightmares went, this one seemed to be on the absurd side. Maybe it was the elixir's fault. When the strangled guffaw left my mouth the beasts scowl disappeared. In the light of the blue-green flame I watched as the beast transformed into a man._

_He was extremely tall, well over six and a half feet. His skin was a darker tan shade, hard to decipher in the light of the hearth but he appeared to be of American Indian descent. His chin length onyx hair emphasized his square jaw and bright white teeth._

_"How did you do that? What are you doing here child?" He demanded staring down at the steak dripping down my arms._

_I would have responded but as my eyes passed over his face and broad muscular chest, toward his waist, I realized he was completely naked. I was about to mention the fact that he should get some clothes but as soon as the thought came to me, clothing materialized onto his body, out of nowhere and without him having moved._

_My senses were still on high alert after having been recently attacked by an insane swordsman and an enormous wolf that had now turned into a giant of a naked man, so when he took a step towards me I was already targeting what could possibly be his vulnerable points. It was more unexpected that he dropped down to kneel and bow on both his knees._

_"Your Majesty, you return." he expressed, keeping his head down._

_At his stance, words of Charlie's conversation came back to me like a ton of bricks falling into my mind. Had I opened myself up to danger by being here? Was this a traitor that had killed my family and was now planning on manipulating me?_

_I couldn't believe Charlie's fairytale was coming out in my dreams this way. Remembering his fairytale also brought to mind the idea that I had family at one point, and someone had killed them. It sent an ache of grief through my entire body. My swirling and anxious emotions forced my lungs to work harder. I wanted to get out of this room and away from this creature, unsure if he was a wolf or a man. I wanted to get away from this dream. _

In darkness I sat up in bed and glanced over at the clock on my cell phone. It showed barely past one in the morning. This dream was not as frightening as my previous nightmares had been, but it woke me nonetheless.

Instead of focusing on what happened in the small library of my dream, thoughts about family colored my mind. They prevented me from going back to sleep. It looks like the elixir would no longer be effective for me. It had barely lasted a week.

I spent the restless night vacillating between the absurdity of the story and pondering what it might mean if by some chance it was all true. My dreams must be a reflection of my thoughts, which was why I dreamt up someone greeting me as royalty. Then I recalled that if it was true, I had a family that had been murdered for power.

I imagined what it might have been like to have a family, other than Charlie, but besides reading about it in books and watching it occasionally on television I had no idea what it would have been like. I undrestood he was an uncle, the half cousin of my father. A distant relative I got foisted on. I bet if his fantasy family had raised me it wouldn't have been brownies and cuddles. A "royal" family would have been cold and serious, like Charlie. Had he raised me the way he believed I would have been brought up if I had remained in Twilight?

I wondered about my nightmares. Last night I ran the gamut between fear, humor and astonishment and I am sure there were a few other emotions in between. That distracted me from a fact I had not focused on yet: Eclipse. Charlie had called it the dream realm. The nurse whom he tried to save had told him I was the last person who could control Eclipse. I recalled my last few dreams: the sword-man and the wolf-man. In the prior, I had moved a chair instantaneously to use for protection against that madman and in the latter I had summoned both a steak and some clothes. Was this what she meant by controlling Eclipse? I would have to ask Charlie.

Or not.

Was I really starting to believe this farce?

~ 8V ~

Washington was wet and green and to me, absolutely appealing. I felt an overwhelming sense of relief the closer we drove to Forks. It was like taking off ski boots after a long day on the slopes. I couldn't pinpoint what felt better about the place. It was certainly easier to breathe the moist sea level air after living in the dry rocky mountains of Colorado Springs. It was also a respite for something inside of me, like finishing the last of your final exams before summer break.

Eventually we arrived at a small home, the nearest neighbors being at least a quarter mile away. It was a craftsman style bungalow. The grey siding and green finish were simple and made the home meld into the surrounding nature as if it belonged there as much as the moss-covered trees and rocks. It was homey which fell in with my overall mood since stepping off the plane in Seattle. Everything felt right here.

At first.

I would have thought the feeling of rightness would just settle into me, allowing me to enjoy the move. That was not the case. What started as a buzz of contentment soon became a maelstrom of adrenaline. I felt sick from it, like I was about to burst out of my skin. My heart was galloping at the rate of a Kentucky Derby thoroughbred and my breathing was borderline hyperventilation.

I had never had panic attacks in the past. This was the last thought I had before everything went black.

When Charlie revived me I was in an unfamiliar room on a soft bed with a purple comforter. The exposed beams on the ceiling slanted down to a large bay window.

"Did you hit your head?" he asked with concern written all over his face.

I took stock for a moment feeling the same sick adrenaline starting to spike within me again. I explained I was not sure if I had injured anything. "I feel kind of sick though, maybe anxiety or a panic attack?"

He scraped his hand down his face and mumbled, "I didn't think it would affect you so strongly."

I lay breathing in and out, trying to control the sick feeling and its impact on me.

"It's your proximity to Twilight, Isabella. Your body is preparing to bond with the magic. When you are on the human side of the Veil the spell casts a type of shield around you preventing you from accessing your magic. The closer you come to the Veil or the border between Twilight and the human realm, the weaker your shield until you cross into Twilight where the shield is released. Your bond with the magic is stronger than I considered and at first it will be difficult for you to learn to control the power that wishes to be released from inside of you."

My head was spinning and I croaked out, "How?"

I didn't hear what he replied I only barely made it to the trash can I saw sitting beside a small desk as I was violently ill. It took three days and nights for me to gain any kind of equilibrium back. During this time I couldn't eat anything and barely took in enough liquid to sustain myself. I probably should have gone to the doctor but Charlie insisted that there was nothing a doctor could do until I became accustomed to the nearness of the Veil.

Luckily I had a slight reprieve from the dreaming, probably because I was never out for more than half an hour before the sick adrenaline feeling had me panting and writhing.

On the fourth day in Forks I got the sense that I was not better but able to push through the feeling somewhat. My long hair hung tangled and stuck to my sweat-drenched neck. I had to get washed up and see if that felt any better.

Charlie had been a mess over the last few days. He did not know how to help me and had even considered going into Twilight to fetch someone, but discounted it as equally perilous to my wellbeing. His own initiation into dealing with this sickness was so long ago he didn't remember how he'd dealt with it. It was now innate, like a habit.

Once I got washed up, and I managed to keep down some chicken broth Charlie had bought. I started to feel a little stronger. He suggested I walk around the house becoming accustomed to how my balance and mobility was impacted. I had been raised with regular strenuous exercise, which helped me develop a strength and grace to my movements. This was conspicuously missing since we moved here. I was stumbling over flat floors where there was nothing to trip on besides air.

Over a week after we had arrived in Forks, Sunday, Charlie and I agreed I was going to have to get started back in school. The queasy ache was still constant; I was just learning how to ignore it to a certain degree. In an attempt to bolster my spirits, Charlie announced he had gone out and purchased me a vehicle. My mood lifted and pushed the discomfort further from my mind. I followed him outside and he showed me what must be the oldest truck in the entire United States. No, I take that back, the entire western hemisphere. Seriously, it should be set as a relic in a museum rather than out on the road. On a positive note, Charlie would not drive me to and from school and I would not be stranded in the house. The pros outweighed the cons.

I thanked Charlie and shuffled back inside preparing for my first day in the new school tomorrow.

~ 8V ~

It was worse than I had originally thought; the sound coming from the old truck was a cross between a tribal bass drum and a rusted, metallic screech. I was not convinced the thing was safe to drive and if I attempted to go over forty miles per hour it started vibrating like an electric toothbrush. Even though I was happy about having a car of my own instead of sharing one with Charlie, this sucked. Not surprisingly, everyone in the parking lot of the school had their eyes on me when I arrived. The attention twisted my nerves and caused the discomfort to rise. I gulped hasty breaths trying to control the ache, hating every time the sickness surged up.

I traveled to the school office and through the halls to my fist class in a haze. I was not paying attention to the boy who tried to greet me, nor the stares that followed my progress around the campus. By lunchtime I was not confident I could keep any food down but I was glad I had packed my own lunch. I brought some crackers that might settle my stomach.

I was led to the lunch room by a peppy girl who introduced herself as Jessica and told me I had better eat lunch at her table because eating alone wouldn't be acceptable. I was not sure I agreed but I followed along anyway. At the lunch table I dimly recognized some of the faces from my morning classes. The boy who greeted me re-introduced himself as Eric, and didn't seem offended that he had to do so. He accepted the assumption that I was overwhelmed on my first day in a new school in the middle of my senior year.

I was vaguely aware that Jessica was trying to share the details she thought I should know about the students of Forks High School, _home of the Spartans_, she emphasized. I just didn't care. I only had enough mental capacity to keep the ache at bay. I felt restless and didn't think I could manage sitting any longer so I muttered an excuse that I needed to check in at the office and without bothering to close my bottle of water turned to hurry out of the cafeteria.

Before I raised my eyes to look where I was going I stumbled into what felt like a solid wall made of electricity. I yelped as I felt a strong current run through me at the impact and in response squeezed my water bottle clutched tightly in my hand making the water erupt all over the person in front of me. I herd a vicious growl erupt from what I realized was a boy. I didn't make eye contact or look at his face, I only exclaimed a hasty apology and dashed out of the cafeteria as fast as I could with my cheeks burning in mortification.

I hid in the bathroom until the lunch hour was over and didn't know where I found the fortitude to go to my next class. I was carrying a couple books in my hands and just as I came across the threshold of the biology classroom, I tripped, and in order to put my arms out and break my fall I released the books I had been carrying. The fall was not hard and I didn't get hurt but I couldn't say the same for the back of the person walking in front of me.

"Damn it!" he exclaimed. "Can't you watch where you are going, klutz?" he yelled down to me without any attempt to help me off the floor.

I was too embarrassed to look him in the eye, but raising my eyes from his shoe level revealed that it was the same guy I had spilled water on so clumsily in the cafeteria. This time I did not apologize. Anyone could see it was a mistake and his response was unnecessarily harsh.

I gathered the fallen books and myself to move toward the teacher; I needed his signature on a note for the office. He handed me another book to add to my growing stack and motioned for me to take the open seat he was indicating. I realized he probably believed himself to be funny, seating me next to the boy who just called me a klutz in front of the entire class.

I slid into the seat, tossing my hair to the side making a curtain protecting me from my angry neighbor, and wrapped my arms around my torso, which helped moderate the ache. Not much, though.

The lecture was on some very basic cellular biology terms and could not hold my attention. I found myself glancing through the strands of my hair at the boy who sat beside me. I think he caught my glance because he seethed loudly through his nostrils and yanked his chair further away from me. I didn't try to look at him again.

In that moment I resolved that I refused to become a bumbling, infirm dog that could be kicked around. As soon as I squared my shoulders, I felt a measure of relief in the ache. Perhaps it was all mental, like an anxiety attack and I just needed to learn positive visualization techniques to tackle it.

By the time the bell rang signifying the end of class, I felt more like my normal self and I purposefully met the eyes of the boy sitting next to me. I had planned on handing him a scathing set down in the form of an insincere apology but the words died in my throat as soon as I my angry slits met his eyes.

I was absolutely certain from the very first glance at his face that if the story was true, this was a person from Twilight. Incredibly attractive did not begin to describe him. He was otherworldly. His beauty devastated my senses. From his hair color—which could only be descried as a rich bronze—to his features, which were strong, masculine, and somehow exuding authority. I was convinced that he would have a position of High-Power in Charlie's tale.

When our gazes met I noticed him gasp but his face didn't betray any emotion and upon catching my mute stare at his features he sneered. He stalked out of the room as if he could not get away from me fast enough. His dismissal hardened my resolve and further relieved the discomfort I had been barely containing until this last hour. If he were not such an ass I would have sincerely thanked him for the assistance.

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**A/N:** Reviews are love and I love you too!

Music: Cut (Bronleewe & Bose Remix) by Plumb


	5. Chapter 4 - The Ripple

**Disclaimer: **Everything Twilight belongs to the magnificent Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I just like to rearrange her kitchen.

**Andrew'sAmy **is my parachute! This story wouldn't work if she was not open!

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**Chapter 4 – The Ripple**

**BPOV**

That afternoon my relationship with Charlie changed. When I came home from school, still full of the fire of indignation ignited by the boy and having to drive around in the loudest truck known to man, I decided to tell Charlie about my day. I didn't keep in touch with any friends, moving too often caused those relationships to fizzle out quickly and his aloof personality never lent itself to familiarity, but my guardian was I all I had. After I got through telling him about my suspicions relating to the boy, Charlie decided to open up to me as well.

"Thank you for telling me, Isabella. It will be easier to help you and train you if I know what is going on. I realize we do not have an easy relationship. I have always been cognizant of the fact that you are my Queen, and if I failed to train you and protect you I could damage the very existence of the worlds."

He went on to speculate, "I think perhaps your anger is a good thing. It allows you to refocus the energy of your internal magic away from trying to break out of your shield."

Since we were being honest with each other, I started to say what I really thought about his absurd story, but he interrupted me and told me to get dressed for a hike. I was exhausted from the day and still feeling sick from the last week, but physical exertion was something I was familiar with so I obliged his request. We were silent as Charlie drove us out toward a dense forest along the Calawah River. He parked on the gravel off the side of the road and, being always prepared, grabbed a backpack probably containing water and a first aid kit. I followed along the muddy trail, glad I had a water-resistant jacket with a hood and waterproof boots. The rain still dropped onto my face in large drops from the branches overhead and soon it was dripping down my nose like a waterfall.

He finally broke the silence by explaining in a quiet tone, "I want to take you closer to the Veil."

His next action had me on alert - he took two nine-millimeter handguns out of the pack handing one to me and stuffing the second in the holster he had looped in his belt. I searched Charlie's eyes for understanding; why was he handing me a gun? What were we out here to do? Target practice? He also handed me a key.

"We will be out in the open, close to the Veil. I don't know if there are sentries patrolling, and if there are, I do not know what side they would be on. They would probably be merely Mid-Power guards but their talent will be to sense magic in others. For your protection we cannot identify ourselves to anyone yet. If there is an altercation we will shoot the tranquilizer darts I have loaded. Also, if anything should happen take the car and get back to the house."

Cold crept through my veins as I touched the icy metal of the weapon but I nodded my understanding and accepted the clip on holster he handed to me next. After securing the pistol to my side and tucking the key into my pocket we resumed our hike, reaching the edge of a clearing. Charlie left the trail at this point and circled deeper into the forest away from the clearing for a couple hundred feet and then turned back toward the field at a spot further down.

"The Veil is not drawn in a straight line here, you must be careful to avoid touching it."

I surveyed the area, my training having kicked into overdrive as soon as he had handed me the firearm. I was scanning my surroundings for threats and trying to memorize the track we were taking all while studying the feeling surging inside of me. After a week of the sick-feeling adrenaline making me so ill, followed by the tenuous grasp I got on it today, I was not sure I could maintain my hold for much longer. The further we hiked the sharper the pain radiated through me. In a way, it reminded me of the cuff Charlie used for my training. The association strengthened my resolve and I thought of the beautiful jerk to summon my anger and reinforce my grip on my control.

"Make sure you do not move any farther to the left of this point in this meadow. If you have to leave, make sure you do it through the forest. Now watch carefully."

He stepped just half a foot to the left and I saw it. About four inches outside of his coat and skin was a shield, almost imperceptible, like a kind of halo. On the inside of the shield twinkled tiny sparks like glitter inside of a snow globe. As he shifted his hand further to the left the sparks excited around his hand and the air rippled as if it were a still pond and he had thrown in a rock. I watched the ripple spread and recognized this as the Veil.

It was true.

Impossible! How can this be possible? My rational mind tried to think of a method that could be used to create this illusion. It had to be an illusion, right? Maybe for his next trick Charlie would be swallowing a sword? Juggling? Breathing fire? No, I couldn't even pretend this was a David Copperfield trick. I couldn't discount what I was seeing with my own eyes. Not only was he surrounded by something that I could not explain, at least not rationally, but that ripple! It extended in all directions. It was like there was a lens or a clear wall, and when it was touched it responded by moving. It didn't touch the trees or the air, but you could still see it move. I felt dazed from the improbability of this whole situation.

Against my own logic I believed the story now. The most convincing aspect was that I could feel that ripple. If you asked me how, I couldn't explain it. It's the way you feel someone come into a room or sense when someone is looking at you. I felt it move, somewhere inside of me. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to groan. I really wanted to wake up from this dream! Too bad I could feel this was not like my other dreams, or I would have been much relieved. Not to mention the fact that there was no way I was creative enough to come up with this scenario, either consciously or unconsciously.

Now that I was certain that the story was true, I had about a million questions in my mind clambering to get out. My curiosity was almost irresistible. Yet, here Charlie stood, calmly waiting for me to take it all in. He raised me, taught me and, I realized, saved my life. I owed him so much. My heart swelled with affection for him and most of all an understanding, of why he was the way he was with me. I also felt like I should apologize for what I had been thinking of him since he told me about my heritage.

My curiosity won out for the time being and I stuck my hand out to explore and see my own response to the Veil, but Charlie grasped my arm firmly to stop me. He reminded me to be sure not to touch the Veil until I had turned eighteen.

"It's not safe," was followed by a command for us to leave. "We have been here long enough."

If I had not been so intently focused on what Charlie had shown me, I may have noticed in time that we were no longer alone. The man standing less than six feet from Charlie was tall and lean. He appeared to be of Hispanic or Latin origin but his skin was incredibly pale. His eyes darted between Charlie and me. Almost predictably Charlie attacked him. He must have calculated the man to be a threat.

Charlie taught me to fight. He instilled the knowledge in me that there is no such thing as a fair fight, which was the reality of violence. It's usually someone big against someone small, armed against unarmed or multiple people against one. Therefore, in order to survive I should respond without restraint in a fight. I saw him apply this tenet as he grappled with the attacker. He gouged and struck at the tall man but the adversary responded in kind. I was about to jump into the fray when Charlie yelled, "Shoot!"

They weren't still for even a moment but I just needed a split second to make my shot. I centered myself and locked my elbows, prepared for the recoil. After taking in a deep breath I released a third of it and squeezed the trigger. I was very close and even though it was not a real bullet, I could see it had struck the assailant painfully. He released Charlie and grabbed at his side by his lowest rib. The strike of the dart may have cracked the bone but he probably couldn't feel it right now since he was sliding down into sedation as the dart's drug took effect.

Charlie took off at a run back into the forest knowing I would pursue swiftly. Out of the thick growth of trees, I heard before I saw another man running toward us. I was not sure if this was another threat or just a concerned citizen startled by the shooting. Charlie decided for me when he hollered, "Shoot!" for the second time today. The distance was at least fifty feet away and while I was adept at shooting while on the move I stopped to get a better shot for the significant distance. The next exhale had me pulling the trigger and landing a solid hit to the runners' torso. He took four more steps before he collapsed in the ferns and moss blanketing the forest.

Moving swiftly and staying alert, we made it back to the car and the tires skidded in the gravel as Charlie swung the car around back toward the direction of our house.

My emotions were a riot in my head and wreaking havoc on my control over the pain caused by my straining shield. I gasped back tears stinging my eyes from the intense pain and gulped down saliva pooling in my mouth from the sick feeling crushing me.

In all of my training, I had never fired a weapon at anyone before. Hitting someone with a gun was too similar to shooting them and taking their life. I was actually not sure if I hadn't killed the two men. How long would they be out? Could they freeze out there if no one came to find them? What if they had a bad reaction to the drug in the dart?

When we were nearly home and Charlie was satisfied we had not been followed, he revealed he thought he knew the first attacker. Some man named Eleazar Denargo who Charlie hoped fervently did not recognize him. He was the captain of the "Veil Sentry," a High-Power lord with a talent for sensing magic but thankfully Charlie didn't think he could sense talents as well. Our shields on this side of the Veil, Charlie explained, did not block talents; only the use of our magic was blocked. The darts that I had used were ones he had kept over the last fifteen years and were created in Twilight, which is the only reason they were certain to permeate the shield around Eleazar and the other guy. If I had shot a regular bullet, it might have bounced off of them like a Ping-Pong ball, depending on their talent. He was not taking any chances.

"Are you saying they are bullet proof?" I panicked.

"Not all of them, but some. You and I have talents as well; although yours drastically outweighs any I have to mention," he explained. "Your life force is based on magic. While your physical body can get hurt and sick you cannot be killed unless your magic is killed with you and that cannot be done on this side of the Veil. Don't get reckless though; you can most certainly be hurt and maimed then dragged off across the Veil and killed without going too far. That was why I was so concerned about us being in the open so close to the Veil."

He had attacked that man because he wanted to ensure no one would know me before my eighteenth birthday. So they couldn't drag me off to be killed, or worse. For the first time I realized that Charlie would do anything to protect me, even if it was to attack a man that had been a friend of his at one time.

I learned more than one lesson this afternoon, the least of which was that there was probably a good reason why I should avoid telling anyone who I was.

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A/N: "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." ~ Dr. Seuss

Music: _Gold Guns Girls_ by Metric


	6. Chapter 5 - Impact

**Disclaimer: **Everything Twilight belongs to the splendid Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I just borrow a spark from her fireworks.

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**Chapter 5 - Impact**

**EPOV**

As soon as I secured the home Lord Jenks acquired for our stay in the human realm, I sent Emmett back across the Veil. He was to inform the King about Alice's vision and tell him that having Rosalie accompany us would ensure that we find where the Queen would touch the Veil.

The house was of a strange human architecture, full of glass and white tones. They called it "modern," but I just thought of it as cold and inhospitable. The home was large enough that we each had a room of our own. Minimal clothing had been prepared, but we would need to go purchase suitable wardrobes. I would trust Alice to predict what clothing would be appropriate; perhaps I would avoid the trouble and have her purchase my supplies as well.

Jenks spent significantly more time in the human realm than in Twilight and therefore was well equipped to establish this base with all requirements of our stay. Tablets were loaded with background information for each of us as well as maps, recommended guidelines to follow, and safety and security measures. There were stacks of currency in the great room as well as a small thin card for each of us, our names being imprinted on the front to be used in lieu of the paper currency. We would all use my surname, Cullen, to give the impression we were related.

The house was only about a mile away from the Veil so we could access it quickly on foot, however vehicles were in the garage for ease of transportation and as part of our human disguise. Luckily each of us had been here before. I cringed remembering the months of torture when I crossed the Veil for the first time. It is still unpleasant to feel your magic writhing to be set free from behind the shield, but I have become skilled at calming the anguish and pushing it from my mind. Jasper still struggles somewhat whenever we cross, but it does not stop his tenacity to overcome the affliction. I was confident we would have no problems fitting into society while we sat in wait for Isabella's return.

The months dragged by as the autumn came and we were enrolled into the high school. I should have considered it a vacation since there was not much we could do besides linger. When I had Emmett report back to my father about Alice's vision, I had him inquire if we could come back to Twilight and return at the beginning of the spring, but my father knew how Alice's visions worked and a simple changed decision could cause the vision to be worthless. For the time being, we waited.

At the end of autumn, a new student was rumored to be coming to Forks high school. The students were abuzz about the unfortunate girl who would have to move to a new school in the middle of her senior year. As a means to break up the monotony, I amused myself with listening to the idiotic rumors they came up with for this kind of move.

"She was a drug dealer and her father thought he could stop her by moving her to a small community," said one of the senior girls, while another responded, "she seduced one of her teachers in her old high school and was forced to move."

And that was what they said out loud. People's thoughts were usually much worse than their words. My talent for hearing the thoughts of people around me was useful, but could be exasperating. Especially when I had to listen to their justification for lying about someone they didn't know. There were other thoughts I was more used to ignoring because they had been coming my way since I finished growing. The girl behind me, for instance, was considering, "_grabbing a handful of that fine ass,"_ as she stared at me from behind.

I smirked to myself.

I hadn't been with anyone since coming to the human realm. These children just irritated me. I couldn't see myself putting forth any effort into a seduction, and I didn't want to deal with a clingy female for the duration of my stay in Forks, anyway. So I remained frustrated. It was not an unbearable aggravation, though; I was probably due for a break from the random women throwing themselves at the Prince Protector of Twilight. My position in combination with my talent had ensured I never lacked for female company. I knew just what to say to women to get them to agree to spending time with me and I never promised anything to any of my lovers. Most of the time they were honored to have the attention from me and equally excited for the power and prestige even the most tenuous association could bring.

I was positive I would be able to successfully court the Queen for this reason, although I was not excited to have to do so. I had not had to think of marriage except in the loosest context of a distant future. My father was only three hundred seventy two years old and my mother even younger at three hundred forty one. To a human they would barely look like they were out of their twenties. I was one hundred twenty and, considering my lifespan was expected to be several thousand years, I was in no hurry to tie myself to any one woman for numerous millennia. I was determined, however, to be the next King of Twilight.

When the royal family was destroyed I had just turned eighteen, my majority. Just a month before the attack, Queen Siobhan had recorded my talent in Eclipse and approved my magical registration, confirming me a Lord of the High-Power and an apprentice to the King. My parents were close friends of the monarchs, and King Liam and Queen Siobhan even attended the ball thrown in honor of my official status.

In the short time I was able to attend council meetings and conferences as an apprentice to the King I observed as he made the tough decisions to make our land better, make the laws fairer, and keep the Kingdom safe. He balanced the remarkable power of the Queen with rational decisions and a compassion that I have often remembered, and wanted to emulate. The royal firstborn was a girl, and all men knew this would mean the title of King would someday be available. I wanted that position then, and I still wanted it now. Especially after the instrumental role I played in leading the attack that led to the capture and execution of the traitorous Marcus and Caius Volturi.

Unfortunately, during the Volturi's attack, the Queen was severely wounded. She was unconscious for several days before she succumbed to her injuries and died. Before passing, she managed to leave orders in Eclipse, naming my father the interim King until her own daughter came of age and returned to take her rightful place at the throne. He was tasked with eradicating the mutinous insurgents and keeping Twilight and the Veil safe. It was understood by all, that this meant he was to keep the Princess safe, since she was the last person who could control the Veil. However, in almost one hundred years he had not been able to find Isabella or any trace of her in either Twilight or the Human realm. Recently, he had taken to searching Eclipse for her, but the dream realm was harder to search than finding a specific grain of sand on the beach. As a result, he ruled as if he would have to do so for a thousand years and did so with integrity and honesty. With him as my example, I knew I would be the right man to take his place some day. Maybe sooner than later if the Queen truly was returning.

If only things could be so easy. A High-Power Lord named James Aro had come of age shortly after the destruction of the royal family, which was now referred to as "The Great Slaying." He has openly spoken of his disbelief that the Queen was in her right mind to appoint a permanent ruler for Twilight. Ancient rules stipulate that in the absence of a Highest-Power ruler, the next strongest High-Power lord should take the place of the monarch. Since there had been no clue or trace of the last heir in almost one hundred years, James questioned the validity of my father's continued reign. Most of the council disagreed; they approved of King Carlisle, but James was not deterred. I had heard reports that he could be particularly cruel and malicious during private meetings with council members and I speculated that while he did not come out and state it, he believed himself to be the strongest of the High-Power lords.

He wanted the throne for himself.

What started as grumbling speeches by Lord Aro, soon became a collection of like-minded protesters. In several towns there had been altercations between the Royalists and the Aro supporters. Now the situation had escalated to reports that Lord Aro was gathering an army in the South, and preparing to march on the Obsidian Palace to forcefully dethrone King Carlisle. Even if the Queen is located, this gathering militia will have to be addressed and most likely by force. The Royal Guard was preparing itself for battle and the keep was being reinforced. Since the Queen will not be of age for about five years in Twilight, an altercation was inevitable. If I managed to come back to Twilight engaged to the Queen maybe I could prevent more lives from being lost. I would have to court her quickly and efficiently in order to save the people.

The frustration of just waiting here, not helping to protect lives during this turbulent time grated on me, and I knew it affected Emmett and Jasper as well. Surprisingly, however, they felt this mission to find and protect the rightful Queen was as important as helping the army at home. Their enthusiasm for the assignment was bolstered in part by the Ladies Rosalie Hale and Alice Brandon.

I knew Jasper had been interested in Alice for at least seventy-five years, but Alice was an extremely talented High-Power; she stuck strictly to the rule stating she could not be mated without the approval of a Highest-Power Queen. For this reason, Alice eschewed all romantic entanglements and concentrated on her skills and powers. This determined focus made her one of the most powerful ladies in Twilight. She had also mastered significant skills in Eclipse, as much as was possible without the ability to influence the dreamland. Since she never flirted with me and was so intelligent, she had become one of my closest friends, and the only woman I could consider as such.

At this moment, Jasper was messing around with Alice, surreptitiously using his talent as an empath to send her feelings of lust. Neither of them could make a decision to act on those feelings though; Alice because she wouldn't and Jasper because he wanted her to be ready**.**He needn't have bothered. If he had asked me I could have told him how much time she spent during the boring school days admiring him, his qualities and his talent. This was the first spark of interest in the opposite sex I had ever seen from her.

Emmett had met Rosalie during the course of this assignment. The massive warrior became a whipped dishrag when it came to the fair-haired Lady Hale. She and I had a strained relationship. She was so loyal to the royal family that sometimes I thought she agreed with Lord Aro and wanted to see my father removed from the Swan throne. If I had not been able to read her mind I would have considered her an enemy.

The truth was, that she had been given a gift by the late Queen Siobhan: she was especially sensitive to the Veil and had special privileges in Eclipse, such as the ability to enter prohibited areas and was the only one who personally knew and spoke to the guard hounds of Eclipse. Because her secret had to be guarded, even from me, she used to focus on aspects of my personality that annoyed her. The negative thoughts were usually sufficient to anger me and I stayed away from her, allowing her to relax her thoughts. Now that we were assigned the task of fetching the Queen together, I knew why she had thought these things about me and I didn't take offense anymore. Unfortunately, I was not proud of some of the things I had said to her in the past, before I knew the truth.

I was walking through the cafeteria towards the table we usually occupied, flanked closely by the others, when a small girl stumbled against me. She must be one of the few descendents of a Talent that mated with a human because my shield responded to her crashing into me. My body's response almost distracted me from the fact that she had spilled water all over me. I growled down at the small dark head**.**She wouldn't raise her eyes to look at me, but mumbled an apology and made a hasty, if clumsy, retreat. I was fuming and dripping wet.

Rosalie of course found it funny, which meant Emmett chortled and told me the girls staring at me all around the cafeteria didn't mind if I wanted to participate in a wet t-shirt contest. Next he whooped, "Take it off, you wet boy!" to which I punched his arm to shut him up. This only managed to hurt my hand. His talent was strength and hitting him was equivalent to punching a cement wall; easily forgotten when he was aggravating me so much.

Being unable to use magic here meant I would have to stay wet, which kept me in a foul mood, so when the same little girl crashed her books into my back in the very next class I responded with much more venom than was warranted.

"Damn it!" I yelled, "Can't you watch where you are going, klutz?"

She was silent in the face of my antagonism and I watched her gather her books and things. As she started to rise, I turned my back to her and matched over to my seat without offering to help. The inelegant chit had drenched me and now painfully slammed some books into my lower back. She needed to look up and watch where she was going before she really injured someone next time.

I listened to the teacher's thoughts as he greeted her; it turns out she was the new girl everyone had been anticipating. He had been informed that she was smart for a human, only taking advanced courses in her prior school so he decided to place her next to me since I had grasped the concepts quickly and maintained an excellent grade. I rolled my eyes at his logic and prepared for another boring class with the mediocre educator.

The girl was absolutely tiny, almost as small in stature as Alice, who Emmett and I liked to tease. We didn't get away with teasing her very often because Alice's lack of height was compensated by too much energy and amazing talents.

The clumsy human girl slinked into her seat and swiftly moved her hair to act as a wall avoiding my stare. Her shoulders hunched and I started to feel bad for how I had yelled at her.

Just then I heard the thoughts of some of the surrounding students.

"_Look at him staring at her, isn't it enough he has half the girls in this school panting after him?"_

From another direction I heard, "_He better not make a play for the new girl, I sat by her in this morning's Spanish class and I know she is just my type. I want to see those pouty lips wrapped around my—"_

I ignored the rest of what he was thinking. Disgusted by their mental chatter, I pulled my seat away from her so they would stop thinking I had anything to do with the girl. I had never even seen her face. I kept my eyes focused toward the front of the class and the boring lecture by Mr. Molina. Just a few minutes later, out of the corner of my eye I noticed the girl sit up straighter and raise her head making her curtain of long thick hair fall away from her face. I didn't look over until I was about to get out of my seat to leave at the end of class. I was still aggravated by the day I had, from getting soaked, smacked by some books and calling unnecessary disgusting attention from my male classmates, I cant imagine what my face looked like at the moment my eyes met hers.

But I can tell you for sure I was slack jawed after having seen her.

She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen in my life. This single glance at her made me gasp as if the breath was taken right out of my lungs. Her skin was pale and clear, over a facial structure of strength without detracting from her femininity. Big, expressive dark eyes were clear and staring at me with confidence and a hint of challenge. Her lips were full, moist, and pink. I shivered looking at her, gooseflesh peaking over my entire body. My nerves stretched to their limit and after a sneer at myself I just barely managed to pull away from her before I did something stupid like reach out and touch her.

I had to get away from her to pull myself together. It didn't matter in that moment that I was behaving no better than the repellent boys in their thoughts about her during class. All that mattered was that I not make a fool of myself in front of her. Only after getting away from her bewitching magnetism did I recognize that I had not heard her thoughts during the entire class.

I finished out my last class of the day, trying to clear my head of the gorgeous human girl I had yelled at. I didn't even know her name, which I asserted to discover tomorrow. Maybe there would be someone worth seducing while I was stuck here waiting for her Majesty to return after all.

~ 8V ~

Early that same evening, Emmett went to meet with our contact and courier, Lord Eleazar Denargo. Just a short while after he left, Rosalie screamed bloody murder and dashed to the door at a dead run toward the Veil. The rest of the house was on her tail immediately. As she crested a hill in the forest nearing one of the clearings bordering the Veil, we saw her dive to the ground near a body. Based on the clothing it looked like Emmett. I scanned the area and closer to the Veil was another body. Before moving toward it**, **I made sure there were no remaining threats nearby.

I approached and saw it was Eleazar. I felt for his pulse and found it weak, but beating. I called out to Rosalie asking if Emmett was alive.

"He is alive but I cant wake him," she hollered back.

I hitched Eleazar over my shoulder and called back to everyone else that I would return as soon as possible. I carried him across the Veil and sent a spark, signaling to the Veil sentry that should be nearby. Moments later a short, burly guard arrived. He recognized me immediately and placed an arm across his heart while bowing his head. I explained how I had found Lord Denargo and the guard signaled for a healer. Within the hour they had determined Eleazar had been drugged with a magical sedative inserted into human pistol darts, designed to pierce a shield and a talent, if necessary.

While I waited, I thought about the possible reasons for this attack. It was not a secret that I was visiting the human realm, but it was assumed the trip was for outreach to magical people choosing to live as humans. No one knew the real reason. How could they have found out? All possible precautions were taken, spells cast and shields placed. Even if someone knew, why would they have attacked Emmett and Eleazar? It was possible that Aro would attack my friends as a means to strike my father, but I also had personal enemies. I had worked to eradicated the Volturi insurgents, however, there were still minor threats that had managed to hide in the last century, and they would not hesitate to assault me or my allies.

I stayed long enough for them to determine and administer a treatment and ordered them to make sure he comes to me across the Veil as soon as he is able to tell me what he remembers from the attack. I took some of the draught for Emmett and ran back across to tend to him. It hadn't taken very long because of the time difference between the realms.

"Here, get this down his throat," I handed the vial to Rosalie who had placed Emmett's head in her lap.

An hour later, after Jasper and I had all but dragged Emmett across the forest back to the house, he was finally lucid enough to tell us what happened. His thoughts were hazy from the drug so I had to listen with everyone else as he concentrated on what he recalled; it came out slow and stilted.

"I was on my way to meet Eleazar.

"From about 150 feet away I saw in the distance what looked like a fight between three guys.

"I picked up speed but stayed hidden, trying to figure out who was in the brawl.

"The smaller of the two attackers shot at who I realized was Lord Denargo. Then the two of them took off though the forest avoiding the Veil.

"I followed but they heard me moving through the forest and the shorter one shot me. I have no idea how it affected me, the shield makes my skin impervious on this side of the Veil-"

"Is that all you remember?" I asked.

"I didn't recognize either of them. I was shot from at least fifty feet away with what looked like a handgun, so whoever it was, has to be well trained. They were dressed for the rain so I couldn't see their features clearly."

I pulled my hand though my hair. Were we under attack? The five of us were some of the most talented and strong of the High-Power lords. Maybe Aro found a way to remove us from the equation while we were here, susceptible like sitting ducks.

I had an idea, "Rosalie, how did you know to go after Emmett?"

"I felt Lord Denargo come through and then I felt a tiny ripple from an unknown origin come from this side of the Veil. I actually thought it was her. I did not know about this trouble." Rosalie explained.

I did not know enough about her talent to question why she would think Isabella would be here now, months earlier than Alice's vision and I didn't have the patience to get into it right then. I wanted answers about this attack and I wanted us to adjust our security measures. There was a threat here we had not considered, and until we knew what it was, we would have to avoid traveling alone.

An hour later, Eleazar came to the house. He explained that there was no change in Twilight, Aro's forces were gathered but they had not moved on the Obsidian Palace.

"What happened out there today?" Emmett asked.

"I was waiting for you at the rendezvous point when I saw a pair of hikers. I stayed back to avoid them since I was dressed in Twilight attire. They moved off the trail, avoiding that point where it crosses the Veil, almost like they had a map. I was intrigued, then they stopped by the clearing and the taller one touched the Veil almost imperceptibly. He is a Talent. I sensed it. I think a Warrior Talent and a strong one. The other one, that shot me, I couldn't get a read on him. This was different from the lack of read I get from humans; something blocked me. Not just a shield, but a full block, like a spell. He was small though, maybe a kid. I tried to get a clear look at them, but their faces were partially hidden by their hoods."

He continued after a brief pause, "I thought for a moment the larger man was someone I knew once, but I am pretty sure that person was killed during The Great Slaying."

"Who?" I asked.

"King Liam had a bastard cousin who was the Chief of the Palace Guard, but he was among those killed along with the rest of the royal family."

"Was he a Highest-Power?" I asked raising my eyebrows.

"No, his mother was a High-Power, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if he inherited her strength. If that is who it was, I can't imagine him being anything but a Royalist. What reason would he have to attack me or any other High-Power Lord like Emmett?"

"That is what we will have to find out," I replied. "Head back to Twilight and report your experience directly to the King. We will meet at the alternate meeting point at the next appointed time. Thank you for your assistance, Lord Denargo."

"Be careful, Sir, these are dangerous times." Eleazar inclined his head and crossed an arm over his chest before he departed.

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A/N: "Creativity: Take the obvious, add a cupful of brains, a generous pinch of imagination, a bucketful of courage and daring, stir well and bring to a boil." ~ Bernard Baruch

My fabulous beta **Andrew'sAmy, **makes sure I don't over-cook it!

Music: _Elephant _by Tame Impala

**Let me know what you think so far!**


	7. Chapter 6 - A Good Cry

**Disclaimer: **Everything Twilight belongs to the gifted Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I just like to march to her tune.

My fabulous Beta, **Andrew'sAmy**,takes my problems and eats them for breakfast!

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_A great hope has traversed the earth _

_A great hope has crossed my fear_

(Translation)

_~Hunger of the Pine _by Alt-J

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**Chapter 6 – A Good Cry**

**BPOV**

"Isabella, I can't stay here after the altercation today. If I have been recognized I would compromise your safety."

"Where are you going to go?"

"The Veil is mostly like a wall, it can only be breached in a few locations. The largest gateway is here, in Forks. There is a small security gate only the royalty knew about, located near the Denali National Park in Alaska. Your father deemed me fit to know this information. Adjacent to that door in the Veil is something like a window, which has a spell on it and allows me to enter Eclipse. I don't have the talent to control my entry into the dream realm any other way.

"To train you for your return to Twilight we will need you to learn how to use your magic. As you are aware, this cannot be done here. I will go to Eclipse and travel to meet you in your dreams; there - we will begin your education.

"If anything should happen to me, protect yourself in any way you can. As long as you can remain physically safe until September, nothing will matter besides returning to Twilight. You will be an amazing ruler. I may not be your father, but I have always been proud of you."

I was choking on fear and emotion. His sentiment was something I had always wished for and now that I had it, I couldn't bear to see him leave. The realization that his story about the magic was true frightened me out of my wits. The thought that I would be here to face it alone scared me even more. His comment about something happening to him absolutely petrified me.

It was the first time I had acknowledged I loved Charlie as a father. However, my short lifetime was marked with strict discipline over my emotions; only that kept me from begging Charlie to stay.

"Don't be afraid of Eclipse, you are the ruler of that realm and no one can come close to the amount of power you yield over it. It is one of the only places you are mostly safe since you cannot be physically harmed there. You can be emotionally harmed, however. Guard yourself, always, and the rest will come."

He was packed and gone within the hour, taking all of the non-perishable food we had in the house. He was driving to Denali; it would take him at least 3 days or more depending on the weather conditions. There was a strong likelihood there would be no cell phone reception and he worried about a cell phone being used to track back to me if he was caught, so he didn't take it with him.

There was one thing he had set my mind about: my dreams. Maybe I didn't have to consider them nightmares. I wished I had asked him about the wolf-man before he left, but it was already too late and we never seemed to have enough time lately.

**~ 8V ~**

Every creak, tap, and whoosh throughout the house had me on edge. The sounds of the rainstorm had me spooked along with the events of the last few hours. Would someone come for me after I shot those two men?

I finally went and retrieved one of the handguns with the darts and kept it by my side for the rest of the evening. This place was unfamiliar, and I couldn't differentiate the sounds made by the old house and a possible intruder**. **Hopefully I could act fast enough if anyone did come after me.

I had to come up with a strategy. That was the way I always coped with things. I knew I would manage without Charlie here, but there was too much I didn't know and didn't understand about my new situation.

I started ranking the aspects of my situation in order of importance, and the top of the list was dealing with the physical affects of being in Forks. I understood that my shield was weaker here and supposedly my magic was itching to get out for a whirl. Logically, this probably meant I could only address the issue by controlling my magic since I couldn't control the shield. Unfortunately, I had no reference point or knowledge on how to go about doing this.

I was feeling a little better, but it was not enough to prevent the illness from affecting my appetite, energy level, emotions, everything. I was a servant to the pain when it overtook me and what if that was the exact moment someone attacked? I had to get it under control.

The next priority was figuring out how to get in and out of Eclipse whenever I wanted to. As Charlie promised, my dreams had stopped interrupting my sleep since we moved here. Yet, he was going to meet me in Eclipse in just three days, and how I was to get in and find him, he hadn't said.

It occurred to me that my two main concerns were probably connected in some way. I studied this concept. The excited state of my magic resulted in a reduced access to my dreams. This meant, until I got a handle on this magic trying to burst out of my shield, I wouldn't have a hope of getting into the dreamland to meet Charlie and get some answers.

I ground my teeth in frustration, which only helped to snarl the ache in me, and I wasn't even sure if it was from my condition or the day I had had. I spread out across my bed and tried to think about every muscle in my body, alternating between relaxing them and tensing them to see the result it had on the throbbing and nausea. I couldn't find a position that removed the pain.

Maybe it was not linked to my physical situation**. **It was possible that this could only be controlled by my mind. That sparked an idea. I had always enjoyed yoga**. **The serenity and peace brought by the deep controlled breaths and disciplined movements of it might allow me to get into a state of meditation. Only, I didn't think I could bear to do the movements tonight. After the long day, a hike and frantic run through the woods, I just didn't have it in me.

Getting ready for bed without having eaten anything, for fear it would just come back up, I focused on my breaths like I did during yoga. I cleared my mind and did not think of anything. As I started to drift off to sleep, I was so focused on not thinking about anything that I didn't notice the ache disappear completely.

_The library! I was here! How did I do it? _

_A loud panting sound distracted my inner musing as I looked over and saw the same gigantic, russet wolf in a position I could only describe as bowing. He was blocking the door again and I knew there was no way to get past him. I looked away from him for a moment to see if there was another way out of the room and when I looked back he was in human form again and still bowing. From a cursory glance, he appeared to be_ _naked again._

"_Can't you keep your clothes on?" I exclaimed, exasperated by this same situation._

"_Imagine me in some clothing," I heard back with the hint of a smirk. _

_As he said it, I imagined jeans and a shirt and the clothes materialized onto his body as if they had been there the entire time. There were a lot of questions I could ask him at this point but I settled for the most mundane, "Why are you still here?" _

"_I have been waiting for you, Majesty, almost one hundred years. I am your most humble servant, Jacob Black."_

_I, of course, had no idea if he was trustworthy or not, and with a sinister sounding last name like "Black" I was not inclined to trust him in the least._

"_If I ask you to stop kneeling and calling me 'Majesty,' would you do it?" _

"_What would you have me call the Ruler of All Magical Realms?" he responded and this time I could see the grin on his face._

"_Lets start with Isabella for now." _

_He unfolded his menacing height and I saw how broad and strong he looked. Charlie's departing comment that I could not be physically hurt in Eclipse was the only thing keeping me from stepping away from him by instinct._

"_I am honored to call you by your given name. You are very much like your mother; she preferred to be referred to be her given name, rather than the formalities of court address as well." _

"_Who are you? How did you know my mother?" _

"_Isabella, I am a Guardian of the dream realm Eclipse. During your mother's reign, I was the Alpha or leader of the guard_. _However, I have since stepped down."_

"_Why did you step down?" I asked, immediately suspicious of what reasons he could have._

"_I was asked to guard something very special by your mother, until the day when her only daughter and heir would return to Eclipse. At which time, I was to deliver it only into your hands."_

"_What is it?"_

"_A letter," He explained._

"_How do I know it is from my mother?" I called into question._

_His immediate and loud laugh had me scowling at him._

"_Forgive me, Majesty, I forget you were raised as a human."_

"_How did you know that?"_

"_There is a great deal I know of you, young Queen. Much will be explained if you allow me to give you the letter."_

"_If you give it to me what will happen to it when I wake up?" _

"_It will remain where you leave it, and_ _no one but you will be able to touch it or read it."_

"_Is that because you will still be guarding it?" _

"_No, it is because no one can touch what you secure here."_

"_You mean this room is secure?"_

"_I mean anything your want secured, anywhere in Eclipse, will be as the Ruler wishes."_

_I was not sure I understood, but I was aware that time moved differently here and I did not know how much time I had until my alarm went off. If this letter could help me control my magic and enter Eclipse, I would be sure to get back to meet Charlie. _

"_Alright, where is this letter?"_

"_Concentrate on it." he replied._

_I was going to ask him what I should concentrate on but again the mere thought of something here made it miraculously appear or change. I had a letter in my hand, sealed with a dab of dark blue wax stamped with an image. The image was a swan. _

"_How much time do I have left tonight?" _

"_Your time here is measured by your heartbeats. Stay calm and you can remain here a long time. When you allow your emotions to impact your physical being you will be called back to your physical presence."_

_This was different than just tamping down on my emotions for the sake of no one seeing them. This was internal. I had to stay calm emotionally so that my body could stay in a state of rest. I took a deep calming breath and broke the seal. It released a plume of sparks like those I saw around Charlie when we were near the Veil. The trail of flickering points spiraled around my left arm, over my elbow and around my shoulder, and circled my neck like a necklace. There the sparks solidified into a chain. Dangling from the chain was a palm shaped amulet, and_ _the center of the palm held_ _a dark blue stone that glowed, as if it was lit from within._

"_Truly, you are the daughter of Queen Siobhan," Jacob Black whispered. It looked to me like he was struggling with a yearning to kneel again but satisfied himself with bowing his head._

_The letter I unfolded was clearly old; the paper aged a dark tan color. The writing was the same, unusual symbols that I did not recognize, but knew how to read nonetheless. It was all so disconcerting. _

_ **Dearest Isabella,**_

**_If you are reading this letter, my most fervent hopes and wishes have come true, that you are safe and well. Would that I could hold you and guide you to ease what must be a complicated time in your life. There was no choice but to send you to the human realm. It was the only way to ensure your survival. _**

**_The amulet around your neck is a memento, older than even I know; it has been handed down through time to the Guardians of the realm of Eclipse. Through the ages, our position has come to be known as Queens, but our role will always be to guard the magic. The amulet does not give us power, yet,_ _it can only be worn by the strongest power talent alive today. _**

**_As with every power, there comes a price. In these circumstances, the price is your freedom to live as you would, had you not been gifted with the talents you possess. For this, my daughter, I am sorry. You are to endure a formidable burden, harder than those before you. Inside of you is the combined magic of all of the royals destroyed by the rebellion, which has taken your family._**

**_I wish I could ease your path, but the fates have decided it is your duty, and yours alone, to make sure the walls between the realms remain intact. Should the border between the kingdoms fall, all life in this universe will fall with them. You will find the history of the realms_ _here in Eclipse_. _Merely concentrate on it and the necessary scrolls will be available to you. Such is your power here. _**

**_You also carry the responsibility to bear a female heir, to ensure the future safety of the living beings in this universe. She must be an issue of your True Mate. May your union be blessed with light and love to shatter the darkness. _**

**_I always thought I would introduce you to your powers, nurture your skills and enable your talents. Though I will not have the chance to do so, I wanted to leave you with one lesson. Your power comes from within, not your body or your mind, but your spirit. Trust in_ _it as you would trust_ _the parts of yourself you are familiar with. _**

**_I love you my darling girl. May the Eye of the Night protect you. Good luck, and stay safe until our spirits meet again. _**

**_ - Your Mother _**

_Fat teardrops fell onto the letter. It took me a minute to understand they came from me. At the same time, I became aware of my heart pumping faster, in time with my churning emotions. I managed to croak out "Guard it" _before I woke up back in my own room.

Waking brought with it the sick adrenaline pumping through my body, and as distraught as I was I had no ability to cope with it. I sprinted to the same waste basked that had saved me before but nothing came up with my retching. Probably because I had barely eaten the day before.

Panting and crying on the cold floor, I released the pent up emotions, probably for the first time in my life. I had a mother who loved me and she missed me even from wherever she was. She had left me with an impossible duty I had no idea how to fulfill, but I would learn. I had to. The letter left me with a sense of family and love, but also with a sense of purpose. That heartening thought reduced my ugly hysterics to streaming tears and loud wet sniffles I rubbed away with my naked wrist.

In the clearing haze of my sobbing, I felt it-as surely as you could feel your heartbeat if you placed your hand on your chest. It was like a light that spread through my soul. Bonding with it felt incredible. It completely removed all trace of the sickness I had been struggling to overcome. Being raised by Charlie hadn't been all bad, but his personality and military demeanor required a certain lack of emotion. In the process of locking down my emotions, I hadn't realized I had fastened away my spirit.

The pleasure coursing through me at its release made me want to dance and laugh. I gave in and rolled on the floor, giddy from the delight of linking with my spirit, my magic. Would I have figured it out, had I not read the letter from my mother? Who knew, but I was sure it would have taken me much longer. I couldn't remember the last time I had cried, but it seems that the release of my emotions opened me up to the connection with my spirit.

I got up off the floor and straightened to my full height taking a deep luxuriating breath for the first time in over a week. I was not positive, but I thought I could maintain this grasp or hold on my spirit, now that I felt it and knew what it was. I also hoped this meant I could control the ability to get into Eclipse. I had to meet Charlie there in just two days. I was excited to tell him about my progress and experiences.

I was surprisingly rested after being so sick and having a dream the night before. Even though I dreamt, I remained asleep far longer than I had when I would access Eclipse before, almost the entire night. It was almost time to get ready for school.

As I stripped down to get in the shower I felt something around my neck. Never being one for jewelry, an unnecessary hazard when training with Charlie, I knew I hadn't put the delicate strand on myself. Dangling from the delicate silver chain was a miniature palm shaped amulet, no larger than a quarter of an inch at its length. In the center were what looked like tiny diamonds surrounding a dark blue sapphire. The diamonds were in an almond shape making the center of the charm look like an eye. "_May the eye of the night protect you._" I recalled from my mother's letter. The glow of contentment warmed my whole body with the knowledge that I hadn't been unwanted and dropped in Charlie's lap like so little rubbish. I had been loved enough to be saved in the only way my mother knew how.

As the water ran in rivulets down my body I recalled the strategy I considered the night before. I had wanted to get a handle on the sickness and figure out how to get into Eclipse. The first was dealt with**.**The second I would work on again tonight.

By the time I dried my hair and got dressed, my stomach was staging a coup of epic proportions, snarling for some food. I fried myself an omelet, grateful Charlie had left eggs and cheese among a few other things for me to eat. I would have to get to the grocery store. The commonplace thought had me grinning about how much my life had changed recently.

This was only the beginning; I couldn't even imagine what was to come. I still had to learn all there was to know about two entire worlds, for lack of a better description. I had to survive for the next ten months without getting attacked, kidnapped, or found out. Then I would cross the Veil into Twilight, to protect it and, still unbelievably, rule it. But for now, I still had to go to school.

* * *

A/N: "Hope is a waking dream" ~Aristotle

**I dream of reviews... lots and lots of reviews!**


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